Egg custard tart

For the pastry

Ingredients

• 250 g plain flour
• 42 g caster sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 115 g butter
• 2 large eggs

Directions

In a food processor: Place flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in work bowl using the chopper blade. Pulse several times to mix.

Add butter or lard and pulse 8 to 10 times to mix. Add eggs and pulse again until dough forms a ball.

Remove from the mixer and knead gently to bring everything together. Wrap in cling film then refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (I make mine the night before I make the tart and leave it in the fridge overnight.)

Then roll out into your pie dish (I used a 12″ dish because I don’t want my tart too deep) and pop into the fridge while you heat the oven to 180°C. When the temp is right on the oven, blind bake the pastry for 8-10 minutes then remove and turn the oven down to 150°C while you make the filling.

 For the filling

Ingredients

• 8 egg yolks
• 100 g caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla essence (or 1½ tsp vanilla extract)
• 350 ml single cream
• 100 ml full fat milk
• grated or ground nutmeg

Directions

Mix the cream and milk in a saucepan and place on a low heat. Do not allow to boil.  Once it starts bubbling around the edges, remove from the heat and leave to stand while you mix the other ingredients.

In a bowl, mix the sugar and egg yolks together, then tip on the warm milk/cream mixture and mix well, then transfer it back into the saucepan on a medium heat, whisking until it almost comes to a boil, then remove from the heat. Add half a teaspoon of grated or ground nutmeg and mix thoroughly, then pour the custard into the pie case.

Put into the oven for 15-20 minutes until the edge of the tart has set but the middle is still a bit wobbly, then remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack for approx 1 hour. Sprinkle 1 small teaspoon of nutmeg over the top, and then put the tart into the fridge to set properly. When it’s as cold as you like it best, take it out and eat the lot before anyone else sees it!

(Don’t forget you can make yummy coconut macaroons with all those leftover egg whites!)